Four faculty members at Stephen F. Austin State University recently were promoted to the highest academic rank of professor by the Board of Regents. Pictured from left are Keaton Grubbs of the Department of General Business, David Lewis of the School of Art, Julia Ballenger of the Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership, and Stephen Lias of the School of Music.


Four faculty members at Stephen F. Austin State University recently were promoted to the highest academic rank of professor by the Board of Regents.

The promotions of Julia Ballenger of the Department of Secondary Education and Educational Leadership, Keaton Grubbs of the Department of General Business, David Lewis of the School of Art, and Stephen Lias of the School of Music will be effective for the fall 2010 semester.

Additionally, the following faculty members were promoted to the rank of associate professor and awarded tenure: Larry Chasteen, management, marketing and international business; Pauline Sampson, secondary education; Jeanie Gresham, elementary education; Christopher Talbot, art; Steven Galatas and Julie Harrelson-Stephens, government; and Norjuan Austin, Michael Martin, John McDermott, Anne Smith and Owen Smith, English.

Also promoted to the rank of associate professor were: Stephanie Jevas and Linda Stark Bobo, kinesiology; and Scott LaGraff and Deb Scott, music. Tenure also was awarded to George Franks, government.

Hans Williams, professor of forestry, was awarded the Regents Professorship for the academic year 2010-11. Regents professors receive a medal and a $2,000 grant to support their research efforts.

The Board of Regents also approved the retirements of Connie Delaney, a lecturer in the Department of Elementary Education, and Michael Fountain, professor and associate dean in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. In addition, Fountain was promoted to the rank of professor emeritus of forestry.

Dana Cooper, history, and Scott Whitney, human services, were awarded faculty development leave for the fall 2010 semester.

Faculty appointments approved by the regents include: Deborah Cady, clinical instructor of human services; Luis Aguerrevere, Frances Bontempo Anson and Dusty Jenkins, assistant professors of psychology; Andrew Brininstool, Matthew Kaplan and Christopher Sams, assistant professors of English; Carrie Butler, assistant professor of social work; and Jill Crane, Librarian I.

Staff appointments included: Brittany Green, admissions counselor; Anthony Amato, head soccer coach; Haley Blount and Nathan Schneider, athletic academic services assistants; James Fredenburg, assistant football coach, Brandon Schneider, women's head basketball coach; Natalie Cardenas, charter school teacher; Eric Ashworth, accountant II, David Baker, accountant III; Michelle Findley, library database administrator I; Ashley Gillespie, grant and contract specialist; and Brooke Rodine, assistant director of orientation.

Changes of status in the James I. Perkins College of Education include: Carrie Baker, from academic adviser to certification and degree planning coordinator; and Kathy Springfield, from athletic academic services assistant to academic adviser.

The following changes of status were approved for Steen Library: Rachel Galan, from associate director for library services to librarian II; and Christine Hennessey, from librarian II - head of digital projects to librarian II - archives and repository librarian.

Other changes of status approved by the regents include: Alicia Atkins, from financial aid loan specialist to financial aid student loan manager; Lindsey Krebs, from graduate assistant to beef farm supervisor; Damon Derrick, from staff attorney to interim general counsel; Patricia Foster, from visiting instructor to assistant professor of psychology; Judith Kruwell, from accountant II to accountant III; and Bryan Patton, from technology specialist to web development designer.